Parents of baby born in embryo mix-up come to custody agreement

The two sets of parents involved in an embryo mix-up in Orlando have come to a custody agreement for the baby, born in December of 2025.

Key Takeaways:

• Shea came into existence through in vitro fertilization (IVF), and was mistakenly implanted into the womb of Tiffany Score, who was not Shea's biological mother.

• Score and her husband Steven Mills quickly realized Shea was not of caucasian descent, and filed a lawsuit against the Fertility Center of Orlando.

• Shea's biological parents were eventually found, though they have remained anonymous.

• The two sets of parents have come to a custody agreement, allowing both to be a part of Shea's life.

The Backstory:

Score and Mills filed an emergency lawsuit in January against the Fertility Center of the Orlando. After undergoing IVF, Score gave birth to a baby girl who was a different ethnicity, and not biologically theirs. Though the couple said they had "emotionally bonded" with the little girl, who they named Shea, they sought to find her biological parents.

By April, the Fertility Center of Orlando had shut down, and weeks later, Shea's biological parents had been identified, though they have remained anonymous. DNA testing revealed that Shea is South Asian, and her potential parents were therefore able to be narrowed down to one South Asian couple from 16 potential parents, all of whom had egg retrieval and embryo transfer dates in the same time frame as Score's.

“This ends one chapter in our heartbreaking journey, but it raises new issues that will have to be resolved,” a statement from Score and Mills read. “Only one thing is as absolutely certain today as it was on the day our daughter was born — we will love and will be this child’s parents forever.”

The Details:

Score and Mills announced they had come to a custody agreement with Shea's biological parents.

The two couples have come to a "mutually devised custody agreement" in which the names of the biological parents will continue to remain anonymous, and Score and Mills will remain as permanent custodial parents of Shea. A statement from Score and Mills:

"Tiffany and Steve recognize the public interest in the details of their IVF experience, and they appreciate the role the news media has played in bringing them and Shea to the point where Shea’s genetic parents were able to be identified and fears about Shea’s future have been settled.

However, Tiffany and Steve are committed to respect the privacy concerns of Shea’s genetic parents with whom they have begun and intend to continue to foster a relationship of friendship and trust. They are also committed to protecting Shea from harmful intrusion on her privacy."

A court hearing was held on June 15 to finalize the agreement, and while details are not known, it appears to be akin to an open adoption, in which the biological parents will remain part of Shea's life.

The Bottom Line:

Ultimately, IVF commodifies children. But due to the increasing accessibility of IVF and genetic testing, more people are experiencing stories like this one, including adults.